Garage door



Nov. 28, 1967 R. F. STANSBERRY 3,354,934

GARAGE DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1964 TOR. 701E72 2 522 322672} ,9 Tray/112.0

Nov. 28, 1967 R. F. STANSBERRY 3354334 GARAGE DOOR 2 m m5 w 7 Q, mi w 5% 4}. p

Y 2 j 4 a M d h m United States Patent C) "3,354,934 GARAGE D0011 Robert F. Stansberry, Beverly Hills, Mich, assignor to Garland Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 387,654 Claims. (Cl. 160-209) This invention relates to sectional garage doors, and particularly to a sectional garage door which has full engagement with the door jambs at the end of the closing movement thereof.

The opening for the door is defined by a header and two side jambs with the latter disposed in parallel relation to each other and at right angles to the header. A metal angle-shaped jamb strip is nailed or otherwise secured to the inner facing corners of the jambs providing surfaces engageable by the side edges of the door when in closed position. Vertical tracks are secured to the jambs with the lower edges in engagement therewith and the upper edges in spaced relation thereto. The sloping of the vertical tracks prevents the rubbing of the door on the jamb strips throughout the opening and closing movement thereof with the engagement occurring when the door is finishing its downward movement into closed position.

The doors are made of panels having horizontal rolled edges which hinge the panels together and permit them to follow the vertical and horizontal track when moved from closed to open position. The panels are Welded at each side to links which overlap each other at the joined edges at which apertures are provided for receiving a pin which supports rollers that run within the vertical and horizontal tracks at each side of the door. The bottom rollers are secured on a pin which extends through apertures in brackets at the bottom of the door and the bottom of the track is adjusted to have the side links engage the jamb strips when the door is in closed position. The pins which connect the overlapping links above the bottom of the door are mounted on sectors on which a stud is riveted for supporting a roller. The sectors have an arcuate slot which permits the roller to be adjusted arcuately about the pin which join the overlapping links together and which extends within the hinged edges of the panel. The upper edge of the sloping vertical tracks is spaced from the jamb and when the links of the panels are in engagement with the jamb strips, the

sectors are adjusted bout the pins to move the rollersinto firm engagement with the track. The bolts extending through the slots in the sectors and an aperture in the links secures the roller in adjusted position in the track. During the initial opening movement of the door, the links will move out of engagement with the jamb strips and a sliding engagement between the links and the jamb strips is thereby avoided.

A curved track section joins the vertical and horizontal tracks at each side of the door and a bracket is provided on the links of the top panel for supporting rollers within the curved track when the door is closed. The rollers move the links on the top panel into engagement with the jamb strips and into parallel relationship with the other panels. Because of the inward offset position of the rollers of the top panel, the top panel will be angled upwardly from the other panels of the door when the door is in open position. The side links are of channel shape with the outer flanges in abutting relation when the panels are in vertical and horizontal positions. The flange of the link of the top panel is relieved to permit the panel to swing upwardly of the other panels when the garage door is open.

To prevent the bottom of the door striking the floor of the garage, a plate is carried by the top panel at each 3,354,934 "Patented Nov. 28, 1967 ice side of the door which engages a flange of the top vertical track supporting bracket which extend inwardly toward the door opening in position to be engaged by the stop plates before the bottom of the door strikes the floor. The bottom panel has a reinforcing strip extending thereacross which encloses the bot-tom rolled edge and is formed to have a channel which receives a head of a rubber sealing strip which is engageable with the floor when the door is closed. A spring-pressed latch is mounted on opposite side links which cams into latching brackets on the vertical tracks when the door is closed. The central portion of the door is recessed and provided with a latch operating handle which is connected to the spring pressed latches by a chain, cable and the like. A bracket is secured on the reinforcing strip of the bottom panel for supporting a coil spring on a pin within the bracket. One end of the spring rests within the bracket, the opposite end extends upwardly and is formed into a horizontal loop through which a cord tied to the bracket extends for preventing the cord from lying on the floor when the door is closed and for having the knob on the end of the cord available to be grasped when the door is to be open. The cord is also available for closing the door while being retained close to the door to prevent it from striking anyone when walking through the door opening.

The door is balanced on cables which extend through pulleys mounted adjacent to the jambs above the hori zontal tracks and through pulleys on the ends of springs at the sides of the vertical tracks. The bottom ends of the springs are secured to the brackets which secure the vertical tracks to the bottom of the jambs. The upper pulleys are mounted on brackets supported on vertical stub shafts which permit the pulleys to turn in a vertical plane which occurs at the end of the opening movement of the door as the bottom end follows the curved track to substantially horizontal position when the door is open. The panels are made of light sheet material and have one or a plurality of angle shaped offsets in the face to enhance the appearance and to provide strength. When the panels are of substantial length, or require local reinforcing, channel elements are provided which are notched to receive the olfsets when welded to the inner face of the panel parallel to the side links.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a garage door and hardware therefor which seals the edges of the door to jamb strips during the final closing movement thereof; to provide sloping vertical tracks on the jambs of the garage door opening which causes the door to separate from the jambs upon the initial open movement thereof; to provide adjustable rollers on the door panels which are moved into engagement with the sloping vertical tracks and secured in position when the door is in closed position; to provide a roller at each edge of the top hinged panel which extends inwardly a sufiicient distance to have the panel engage the jamb strips while the rollers are in the arcuate portion of the track; to provide stop plates at the top of the door in the path of movement with a flange on a bracket which engages each other when the door has reached closed position to prevent it from striking the floor, and in general, to provide a sectional garage door which is simple in construction, positive in operation and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a garage door and the hardware therefor as viewed from the interior of the garage;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 33 thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 4-4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a corner of the door illustrated in FIG. 1, as viewed from the point 5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a broken edge view of a jamb and a vertical track to show the relative slope thereof;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a latching structure illustrated at one side of the door in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, taken on the line 88 thereof.

The garage door of the present invention is constructed from a plurality of panels, a bottom panel 10, a second panel 11, a third panel 12, a fourth panel 13, a fifth panel 14 and a top panel 15. All of the panels are of like construction being formed from a sheet of metal having angle shaped ribs 16 therein for appearance and for strength. The bottom edge of the panel has a roll section 17 and the top edge has a rolled section 18 which telescopes within the section 17 of an adjacent panel to form a hinge. Channel links 19 receive the edges of the panels which are Welded to the rear face of the front flange thereof. The upper end of the channel link 19 is offset at 21 to receive the lower end 22 of the adjacent link 19. The link has apertures 23 therein which are aligned with each other and with the center of the roll sections 17 and 18. When the links are secured together they form a strong chain-like system at both edges of the door. The ends 21 and 22 of the links 19 has a pin 24 extended therethrough into the rolled edge 18 of the panel. The pin 24 has a sector 25 riveted or otherwise secured thereto for supporting a stub shaft 26 which is riveted or otherwise secured thereto for supporting a wheel 27 made of nylon or other suitable material. The sector contains a slot 28 of arcuate shape struck from the center of the pin 24. The offset portion 21 of the link 19 has an aperture 29 therethrough aligned with the slot 28 and through which a bolt 31 extends for locking the sector into adjusted position when clamped by a lock washer 32 and nut 33 for a purpose which will be hereafter explained. Like pins 24 with sectors 25 and wheels 27 join the links 19 and panels 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and together at each side of the door.

Each of the jambs 34 at the sides of the door opening has a metal angle shaped jamb strip 35 nailed or otherwise secured to the inner corners thereof for receiving the inner flange of the channel shaped links 19 when the door is closed. To prevent the edges from dragging on the strips as the door is being opened or closed, vertical wheel tracks 36 are sloped at the top away from the jambs as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6. After the door is mounted in closed position with the links 19 engaging the faces of the jamb strips 35, the sectors 25 are angularly adjusted about the center of the pins 24 to have the wheels 27 engage the vertical wheel tracks 36, after which the nuts 33 are tightened to retain the wheels 27 in proper engagement with the track. The initial upward movement of the door moves the channel links 19 from engagement with the jamb strips 35 and frees the door therefrom to eliminate friction therebetween.

The bottom edge of the bottom panel 10 has a strip 37 welded thereto and so formed as to enclose the bottom roll section 18. The strip is formed to have flanges 38 and 39 extending from a double thickness channel 41 which receives a bead 42 of a resilient floor-engaging strip 43. The formed strip 37 supports channel brackets 44 at each edge for the reception of a pin 45 on a stub shaft 46 which supports a wheel 27. The bottom links 19 supports a plate 47 having an aperture aligned with Lil apertures 49 in the flanges of the brackets 44 for the reception of the pins 45. The plate 47, as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, supports a headed pin 51 to which one end of a cable at each side of the door is secured.

A bracket 52 is secured to the strip 37 to which a cord 53 is secured having a knob 54 on its free end as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4. A coil spring 55 is secured by a pin 56 between flanges of the bracket, one end 57 engaging the web of the bracket and the other end 58 engaging a rib 16 of the panel 10. The end 58 of the spring has a horizontal loop 59 on the end through which the cord 53 extends for retaining the knob 54 from engagement with the floor when the door is closed and preventing it from hanging downwardly, a substantial amount into the opening when the door is in raised position.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 4, the rolled edge 17 at the bottom of the panel has the circumference thereof substantially extended by a V-notch 61. This extension increases the area of engagement with the roll section 18 at the top of the panels the arcuate length of which is also extended. This provides greater protection against the passage of rain upwardly through the hinge joints which often occurred when the V-notch was not employed. When the panels are of exceptional width to enclose an opening for two cars, a channel shaped reinforcing strip 62, as illustrated in FIG. 3, may be welded to the top portion of the panels below the roll section 18 to reinforce the panels and provide strength thereto.

When the garage is of such construction that the head room is low, horizontal tracks 63 are supported as low as possible on hangers 64 on a supporting beam 65. Flanged brackets 66 on the hangers are slidable along the horizontal tracks 63 to permit the hangers to be moved into alignment with the supporting beam 65. The horizontal track 63 is joined to the vertical tracks 36 by curved tracks 67. The wheels 27 near the upper portion of the top panel 15, are located in the curved track 67 when the links 19 of the panel 15 engage the jamb strips 35. To support the wheels 27 rearwardly of the links 19, an extending arm 68 is welded or otherwise secured to the links and U-shaped brackets 69 are secured to the arms.

The U-shaped brackets 69 have apertures therethrough for receiving the pins 45 for supporting the stub shaft 46 and the wheel 27 on the brackets. In door closed position the wheels 27 are disposed within the curved tracks 67 and urge the links 19 of the top panel 15 into engagement with the jamb strips 35 on each side of the door. A bracket 71 is secured to the jambs 34 having slots 72 therein through which bolts 73 extend for securing the vertical tracks 36 to the arcuate tracks 67 and to the jambs 34. The brackets 71 have an inwardly extending flange 74 disposed in the path of movement of stop plates 75 which are carried by the link 19 of the top panel 15. The engagement of the stop plates 75 with the flanges 7 4, stops the downward movement of the door and prevents it from wedging with the jamb strips 35 and the striking of the bottom of the door on the floor of the garage.

A lower track bracket 77 secures the vertical tracks 36 against the jambs, the bracket being channel shaped having a forwardly extending flange 78. A balancing spring 79 is supported on each bracket 77 by having the hook end of the springs secured in an aperture in the brackets. A U-shaped clevis 81, could be secured to the flange 78 by a bolt 82. The clevis is employed when the spring tension is to be adjusted for different weight doors. The ends 83 of the clevis are bent outwardly to extend between a pair of adjacent coils of the spring. The upper end of the spring has a hook end 84 which is secured to the end of a U-shaped bracket 85 which supports a pulley 86. A rope or cable 87 is tied or otherwise secured to a pulley supporting bracket 88 secured to the jamb and the curved track 67 and to the horizontal track 63 by the connecting element 89. The rope or cable extends about the pulley 86 and through a pulley 91 supported on a U-shaped bracket 92 having a pivot 93 secured to the bracket 88 to permit the pulley to adjust itself in a vertical plane. After passing over the pulley 91, the cord or cable is extended downwardly to the bottom of the door and secured to the head pins 51 at the bottom of the door. Upon the downward movement of the door the springs are tensioned to counterbalance the lowering of the door, and to assist in the raising of the door from closed position.

In the vicinity of the panel 12, the links 19 at each side of the door carry a latched finger 94 which is secured by a pivot 95 to a bracket 96 on the links, the fingers 94 are urged toward the vertical tracks 36 by springs 97. A bracket 98 is adjustably mounted on the vertical tracks 36 having cam projections 99 on each side of a latch receiving recess 101, the sloping sides of which are reinforced by flanges 102. By having the two cam projections on the bracket, the bracket may be used for either side of the door. As the door is closed, the latch fingers 94 the moved inwardly by the top sloping projections 99 until the fingers ride thereover and are urged outwardly by the spring 97 into the receiving recesses 101. The door is firmly latched at each side edge by the finger when in closed position. The fingers 94 have apertures which receive a hook 103 connected by a cord, or cable, 104 to opposite ends of an operating lever 105, Which when turned on a pivot 106 retracts the fingers 94 from the receiving recesses 101 and permits the door to be opened. The operating mechanism for the lever 105 is recessed within a rectangular case 107 which provides a flush front to the panel 12 and which is illustrated, described and claimed in US. Letters Pattent to R. F. Stransberry, No. 3,080,743, issued March 12, 1963, for Door Handle and Lock and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The pivoted elements within the case has an extending finger 108 which is connected by -a link 109 to the lever 105 which pulls the cords 104 and therefore retract the fingers 94 to unlatch the door from the vertical tracks. A lock within the case moves an element to block the movement of the finger 108 thereby secure the door in closed position.

To reinforce the panels when of extreme length or at weak portions thereof such as about the opening supporting the case 107, channel-shaped reinforcing elements 111 are employed. The elements have a web 112 and flange 113 offset inwardly at spaced points to receive the V-ribs 16 so as to have the web 112 continuously engage the panel to which it is welded.

The garage door thus provided is easy to operate due to the use of the balancing springs 79 which assists in the raising of the door and counter-balancing the lowering thereof. In the closed position, the links 19 at the sides of the door contact the jamb strips 35 to seal the door and retain it firmly against the jamb strips when in closed position. The initial upward movement of the door to open position separates the links 19 from the jamb strips and friction is eliminated therebetween during the raising and lowering operations. The use of the adjustable offset roller positions the links 19 against the jamb strips when the door is in closed position. The oflset rollers for the top panel moves the links 19 into engagement with the jamb strip at the end of the closing operation. The mating flanges between the links 19 of the top panel and the one link 19 adjacent thereto are relieved at the back to permit the top panel to tip upwardly relative to the horizontal tracks 63 when the door is in open position because of the forward position of the wheels 27. The door is secured in closed position by the heavy latch fingers 94 which prevents any unauthorized opening of the door when the lock is turned to locking position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garage door, a plurality of panels hinged together at their adjacent edges, links secured to the ends of the panels with the ends in overlapping relation, pivot pins on the centerline of the hinges securing the ends of the links together to form a chain at the ends of the panels in each side of the door, a plate on each said pivot pin, a wheel mounted on each said plate offset from the pivot pin, substantially vertical track at the sides of the garage door opening, the wheels being mounted in said track, and means securing each plate to the adjacent link after being adjusted about the center of the pivot pin to position the adjoining panels in desired spaced relation to the tracks.

2. In a garage door as recited in claim 1, wherein the plate is secured in fixed relation to the pivot pin.

3. In a garage door as recited in claim 1, wherein the plates have slots therein, and a bolt extending through the slot and through an aperture in the adjacent link to form said securing means.

4. In a garage door as recited in claim 3, wherein said slot is of arcuate shape struck on a radius from the center of the pivot pin.

5. In a garage door as recited in claim 4, wherein the plate is in the form of a sector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,508,886 9/1924 Dautrick et al. -209 X 1,897,391 2/1933 Kelly 160-191 X 1,925,574 9/1933 Scott 160-191 2,023,664 12/1935 Clark et al. 160-209 X 2,039,447 5/1936 Pixley 160-235 2,040,080 5/1936 Collins 160-209 X 2,126,418 8/1938 Siess et al 160-209 2,495,963 1/ 1950 Greegor 160-235 2,525,309 10/1950 Norberg 160-209 2,655,683 10/1953 McKee et al 160-209 X 2,703,141 3/1955 McKee 160-209 2,722,273 1l/1955 Taylor 160-191 2,871,932 2/1959 Stroup 160-209 X 2,877,843 3/1959 Stroup 160-200 2,926,728 3/1960 Johannsen et al. 160-209 X 2,959,221 11/1960 Clapsaddle 160-235 X 3,067,814 12/1962 Anthony 160-235 3,079,987 3/1963 Klein 160-113 FOREIGN PATENTS 450,663 8/1948 Canada. 550,106 10/ 1956 Italy.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner. 

1. IN A GARAGE DOOR, A PLURALITY OF PANELS HINGED TOGETHER AT THEIR ADJACENT EDGES, LINKS SECURED TO THE ENDS OF THE PANELS WITH THE ENDS IN OVERLAPPING RELATION, PIVOT PINS ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE HINGES SECURING THE ENDS OF THE LINKS TOGETHER TO FORM A CHAIN AT THE END OF THE PANELS IN EACH SIDE OF THE DOOR, A PLATE ON EACH SAID PIVOT PIN, A WHEEL MOUNTED ON EACH SAID PLATE OFFSET FROM THE PIVOT PIN, SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TRACK AT THE SIDES OF THE 